Your Lightning in January
by sanguine-fairy
Summary: New year, new school. Laxus finds himself in an unfamiliar school yet again. Laxus' plans to stay hidden in the shadows are foiled by a bright shining star, Lucy.
1. Chapter 1

**Students passed by, keeping their distance. They paid little to no attention to the new kid but they already knew to stay away. It must have been something in his aura or the way he dressed. It had always been like that since he could remember. He was the loner, the outcast, the weirdo. He was Laxus.**

 **Laxus trudged up the stairs towards the entrance of the high school. New year, new school. How many times had he repeated this process? He'd attended so many schools in the past few years he'd already lost count. It wasn't his fault, most of the time. What would you expect from a military family? It was drilled (hehe) into his head not to put roots down anywhere. Laxus walked through the students and increased the volume on his headphones to drown out the crowd.**

 **In typical high school fashion, the principal's office was located right off of the front entrance. Laxus entered and stated his purpose to the bored office worker without bothering to remove his headphones. He sat in a chair and waited. How many times had he sat in these same chairs in other schools? The chairs were always the same. Cheap red plastic ripping at the seams, contrasting with faded metal arms that were always too cold to the touch. Laxus relaxed into the chair and closed his eyes in wait.**

 **After what felt like an eternity had passed, Laxus opened his eyes. He was met with two big, chocolate brown eyes that were staring at him expectantly. Those brown eyes belonged to a petite girl with long blonde hair. Her hair was wild, pieces were sticking up creating a makeshift halo around her head. She seemed to glow in the dull office.**

 **Laxus pulled off his headphones and looked at the girl. "Can I help you?" He asked.**

 **"** **If you're name is Laxus Dreyar, you sure can." The girl replied bubbly.**

 **"** **I am...:" Laxus hesitated. What did this girl want with him?**

 **"** **Perfect!" She cheered and pulled him up to his feet. She was surprisingly strong, pulling him out of the office with ease. "I'll be showing you around to your classes. Principal Makarov is quite busy so he appointed me to do his dirty work. Uh… not that you're dirty work or anything." She giggled to herself, casting a side glance at Laxus who was following behind.**

 **"** **Right…" Laxus said, pulling his headphones back onto his head.**

 **"** **My name is Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia! I welcome you to Magnolia High. It's really not all that special, but it's home." She beamed at him.**

 **Laxus let his headphones hang around his neck. Lucy began babbling about some history of Magnolia High, he found her voice easy to listen to. It was soft and melodic. She didn't seem to be afraid of him like most other students were. She didn't seem to notice anything different about him. He wasn't used to another person his age talking so freely with him, let alone a girl. But she was probably like this with everyone, he thought. Lucy stopped in her tracks causing Laxus to run smack into her, he grunted in surprise.**

 **"** **Shh," Lucy hushed him. "Follow me."**

 **Lucy started towards a pair of doors in full stealth mode. She tiptoed quietly, exaggerating her movements. She looked through the door window and snickered to herself quietly. She turned towards Laxus and beckoned him forward, pointing to the window. Laxus approached the window and peered through. At first it appeared to be an empty classroom but then he spotted the janitor dancing with his broom. He could hear Brush Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark playing through the door. Lucy was cracking up beside Laxus, causing him to to crack a smile.**

 **"** **Our janitor loves to dance. I always catch him mid-tango." She laughed, walking away from the door and pulled Laxus along with her.**

 **"** **He's got good music taste." Laxus stated.**

 **"** **Oh yeah? You like rock and roll?' She asked him.**

 **"** **It's all I listen to." He replied.**

 **Lucy smiled and led him to his first class. The high school wasn't too large, it was all one story. The classrooms were organized by subject, so it was easy to remember where to go. Lucy had informed him of some insider information on each of his teachers. Lucy lead him to his current class and wished him luck.**

 **"** **I'll see you at lunch!" She called to him as she skipped back to the office.**

 **Lunch? She was actually planning on seeing him again? Laxus wrinkled his brow in confusion. He wasn't used to having someone go out of their way to be so nice to him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and entered the classroom.**

 **Twenty pairs of eyes followed him as he walked in the classroom and up to the teacher. The whispers started before he reached the man in the front of the classroom. They were expected, but they never got easier to endure. The teacher welcomed Laxus and pointed him to his new desk. This teacher spared him of the embarrassment of introducing himself to the class, Laxus could only hope the others will be as kind.**

 **The whispering stopped as he walked to his desk. No one dared to make eye contact as he moved through the rows. This was the treatment he expected from his peers. It's what he had grown accustomed to. The bubbly blonde faded from his thoughts as quickly as she had entered, being replaced with facts about Fiore's history.**

 **His first class at Magnolia high passed by without a problem. Laxus found it ironic that his first class in this new town was focused on its history. It's not like it mattered to him anyways. Hundreds of other history classes clashed in his mind. Was it Bosco or Fiore that went to war with the Alvarez Empire? His father would be disappointed in how jumbled the history of the world was in his mind. After attending so many different high schools, it all started to mix together.**

 **The bell signaled the end of class and his peers rushed out of the classroom. The blond waited for the classroom to empty before he decided to leave and fight his way through the hallways. Headphones on, Laxus navigated to the cafeteria and made his way towards the back. He slid his backpack off onto an empty table and plopped down in a chair. He pulled out today's lunch and ate in peace. No one bothered to join him once they saw the headphones. They screamed their message loud and clear: Leave. Me. Alone.**

 **A tray slid into Laxus' vision. Apparently the headphones weren't as effective as he'd hoped. Just as he was about to object to the intrusion, Lucy sat down across from him. She beamed at him and took a bite of her cafeteria pizza. Lucy didn't try to start a conversation with him so Laxus didn't remove his headphones. They sat there silence, eating their lunches separately. Lucy looked so content eating her lunch in silence. With how chatty she had been that morning, Laxus was surprised.**

 **He didn't mind her company, which was something he wasn't used to. She might be a little out there but she seemed to take an interest in him, and Laxus wasn't going to object. He didn't want to find out what Lucy was like when she was told no. The girl finished her lunch quickly as if she hadn't eaten in days. It's no wonder why she wasn't talking. She didn't have enough time for words between bites. Just as quickly she arrived, she was gone again leaving Laxus to eat his lunch in confusion.**

 **As he sat there wondering why Lucy had joined him in the first place, she sat back down, this time in the chair directly next to him. She gave him the same look from this morning in the office. It was a look that said "take those headphones off or so help me." It was same look he got from his teachers on a daily basis. That look was the one thing that stayed consistent through each different school. He slid his headphones off so they hung around his neck.**

 **"** **What are you listening to?" Lucy asked him.**

 **"** **Bohemian Rhapsody." He answered as he turned up the volume on his phone so she could hear.**

 **Lucy leaned in closer to hear properly. "Ah, a classic." she mused.**

 **She began to quietly sing along with Freddie Mercury, matching his tone perfectly. Laxus stared down at the blonde in surprise, her voice was angelic. It was like nothing he'd ever heard before. Even the king of vocals, Freddie Mercury, couldn't compare to the ethereal voice coming from the girl sitting beside him. Lucy knew every word. When the song finished, Laxus was speechless. This tiny ball of energy just sang one of the world's best vocalists under the table.**

 **"** **That's one of my favorite songs to sing," Lucy smiled at him. "Looks like it's time to go to class!" With that she jumped up and ran off without another word, leaving Laxus confused for the second time in thirty minutes.**

 **The rest of the day was uneventful. Laxus went through the remainder of the school day without a hitch. Nobody paid him much attention, not like he thought they would in the first place. It was just how he prefered it, or so he told himself. He walked down the packed hallways, headphones on as usual. Time to go home, Laxus was eager to trade the packed hallways of the high school for the empty house that was awaiting his arrival. Being a military kid had it's perks, at least that's what he kept telling himself. Laxus was alone most of the time and had been for as long as he could remember.**

 **A chilly wind greeted Laxus as he left the high school. It hadn't yet snowed during this winter season which, from what he heard, was very odd for Magnolia. It was only January, so mother nature had plenty of time to make it happen. Laxus wasn't a fan of the snow especially because he usually had to walk to and from school in it. Snow or not, right now Laxus was glad he had his fur trimmed coat to battle the harsh bite of the wind.**

 **About a block away from the school, Laxus felt a tug on his coat. He spun around defensively ready to take care of the crazy person who dared touch him. Beside him was a red nosed Lucy who looked as though she ran the whole way just to catch up with him. Her rapid breaths came out in small puffs of smoke in the frigid air. Laxus pulled off his headphones so he could hear what she was saying.**

 **"** **Hey! I had been calling your name for minutes. You sure do walk fast." She smiled up at him.**

 **"** **Sorry, headphones." Laxus replied.**

 **"** **You walk home too? I'm heading this way. Do you mind if I join you?" Lucy asked him.**

 **This girl really doesn't quit, does she? Laxus thought to himself. He shrugged and started walking again. Lucy took that as a yes and followed after him. It didn't take long for Lucy to start talking up a storm. She didn't talk about anything in particular but Laxus didn't mind. He enjoyed listening to her speak. Her voice had a soothing quality that Laxus had never experienced before. Well, he'd never actually experienced anyone holding enough interest in him to talk to him for longer than ten seconds.**

 **Laxus listened as Lucy talked all the way to her house. She only lived a few blocks away. He couldn't decide if that would be a blessing or a curse but he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.**

 **"** **I'll see you tomorrow!" Lucy called to Laxus as she ran up the steps to her porch. With a quick wave she entered her house.**

 **** **He slipped on his headphones and continued on his way. Laxus was smiling to himself as he walked away. That girl… was something. She definitely made a lasting first impression. It was as though he had been hit by a typhoon of blonde hair and kindness. His first day at Magnolia High didn't turn out anything like he had imagined it would.**


	2. Chapter 2

**At seven forty-five sharp, Lucy waited on her front porch every morning for Laxus to walk by. When she realized how close they lived to each other, she insisted that they walk to and from school together. For her safety, she told him. Laxus knew better than to comment on how she managed to walk by herself for over three years before he showed up. Still, if he had to choose to see someone's face first thing in the morning, it would be hers.**

 **"** **You're late!" Lucy called out to him as she bounded down from her porch. Her blonde locks bounced behind her, shining in the morning light. She always wore a bright smile when she saw him. After thinking about it, Laxus realized he'd never seen her without a smile. (not like he was complaining)**

 **Laxus reached a hand back and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry about that." He gave her an apologetic smile.**

 **She shrugged it off and pulled Laxus down the sidewalk. "We're gonna be late!"**

 **Laxus let Lucy pull him all the way to the high school. She was small, but she was fast. He was out of breath by the time they reached Magnolia High. Wasting no time, Lucy bounded up the steps and entered the building leaving Laxus behind to catch his breath. He stared after the bubbly blonde in wonder. He'd never met anyone quite like her.**

 **Orange and white banners greeted Laxus as he walked through the doors. Big bold letters read:** ** _Magnolia Winter Formal, get your tickets now!_** **The students congregated in the entryway were buzzing with talk of the dance. Ah, the infamous high school dance. With a roll of his eyes, Laxus pulled his spiky headphones on and walked towards his first class. Laxus couldn't be bothered with meaningless school events like a dance.**

 **His usual seat in the back of the class was empty so he pushed his way through the lingering students so he could sit down. Laxus felt more comfortable sitting in the back of the class. He could get away with keeping his headphones on back there; he didn't have to worry about other students' prying eyes. After a few weeks his new kid image might have worn off a bit but he could still feel their stares.**

 **Class had started but Laxus was busy listening to The Eagles. It was just homeroom. The only thing he'd be missing is nonsense talk about the upcoming dance. It was no different at any of the high school he had attended. Not only does the student body get overly excited about the dance, there always has to be a spirit week. It was too much school spirit for Laxus who hadn't been able to stay at a school long enough to become loyal to one.**

 **Doodling in his notebook, Laxus paused as a shadow casted over his desk. He looked up to see Mr. Clive towering over him with his arms crossed. Laxus saw his mouth moving but couldn't hear him over the sound of Hotel California blasting in his ears but looking at Mr. Clive's face he knew he was in trouble. Laxus paused his music and pulled off his headphones.**

 **"** **Mr. Dreyar. I don't know how they did it at your old high school but here at Magnolia high we don't allow students to wear headphones in class." Mr. Clive stated.**

 **"** **Alright, sir. It won't happen again." Laxus replied, not meeting his gaze. He could feel twenty pairs of eyes on him, causing his heart rate to quicken. The spotlight was bright, too bright for his liking.**

 **"** **Sorry, Laxus. I'm going to need to confiscate them. You can collect them at the end of the day. I can't have you wearing these at school again." Mr. Clive held out his hand expectantly.**

 **Laxus looked down at his headphones. These headphones were the only thing good his father had given him. He never went anywhere without them, if they were waterproof he'd wear them in the shower if he could. He gritted his teeth as he pulled the headphones over his head and disconnected them from him phone.** ** _Don't make a scene, don't make a scene,_** **he kept repeating to himself. With a shaky hand, Laxus handed over the only thing he cared about to Mr. Clive.**

 **"** **Thank you." Mr. Clive took the headphones and walked towards the front of the class. Laxus glared at the man as he set the headphones on top of his desk. There went his only solace in this god forsaken high school.**

 **Class drug on without his headphones. Even without them he still couldn't concentrate on anything his teachers said. All he cared about was getting his headphones back. His thoughts shifted to Lucy. Maybe she'd be able to hatch a plan to get his headphones back. She knew this high school and its staff like the back of her hand. A small smile formed on his lips just thinking about it. He eyed the clock until it struck 11:30.**

 **Seconds after the bell rang Laxus hightailed it out of the classroom. He usually beat Lucy to the cafeteria and today was no different. He took a seat at one of the back corner tables and scanned the crowd for her brilliant golden locks. He was kind of earlier than usual, so he shrugged off her absence and dug into his leftover pasta from the night before. He was nearly finished with his meal when he realized that Lucy still hadn't shown up. He scanned the cafeteria again hoping to spot her in line but she didn't see her anywhere. A small knot started to form in the pit of his stomach but he ignored it and finished his meal. Maybe she was eating lunch with her friends, he thought to himself. Laxus didn't like the way the thought made the knot in his stomach swell.**

 **He waited until five minutes before the end of lunch before he gave up waiting for her. This is how it should be, he told himself. He knew better than to get attached to the girl. Better now than a couple months down when he'd be moving to a new city. Laxus shook the thoughts out of his head. Maybe she was just working on a project, he told himself. He liked the sound of that much better.**

 **The end of the day didn't come soon enough. Laxus barely made it through his last few classes without losing it. With his headphones gone he had never felt so vulnerable. He hated it. His first stop at the end of the day was Mr. Clive's class. The blond brute practically ran to the other side of the building, almost knocking down any student unwise enough to get in his way. When he arrived at his homeroom classroom the door was shut and it was dark inside. He tried the handle but it was locked. The growl that escaped him would make wolves cower.**

 **"** **How could he forget?" Laxus nearly shouted at the door. He clenched his fists willing himself not to punch the wall. He couldn't believe it. Apparently Mr. Clive's end of the day and his were quite different.**

 **Laxus stalked off in the direction of the front doors. This was going to be a long walk home. He was about to turn the corner when he heard Lucy's melodic laughter. He froze in place as he listened.**

 **"** **Thanks for picking up today's homework for me, Natsu." Lucy said. Laxus didn't need to see her to know she was smiling.**

 **"** **Oh, uh, no problem Luce… So I was wondering, you know the winter formal is coming up, right?" A guy asked her. Laxus peered around the corner to see a boy with bright pink hair standing awkwardly besides Lucy.**

 **"** **Oh, yeah! That is coming up isn't it?" She replied.**

 **The boy let out an awkward laugh. "Yeah, I was, uh, wondering if maybe you wanted to go with me?" He asked.**

 **Laxus turned around and stalked off in the other direction without bothering to hear her answer. He knew she'd say yes. He saw the way she was smiling at Natsu. It was the same way she smiled at him. The knot in his stomach swelled even more, making him feel sick. Once he left the building he started running. He kept running until he was only a few block away from home. Exhausted, he leaned against the wall of an empty building. Stupid. So stupid, he scolded himself. He didn't even care about the dance, why would he care who Lucy went with? It's not like it was any of his business in the first place.**

 **Despite all of this, he couldn't help but feel as though that knot that had been growing in his stomach up until that point doubled in size. There was a strange feeling of… he didn't even know what, that made him feel heavy.**

 **It really didn't help that his headphones had been taken away, Laxus was sure that he wouldn't be reacting so negatively in response to Lucy getting asked to the winter formal had it been a bit more of an eventless day for him.**

 **Then again, maybe not. Laxus was no idiot. He could recognize when his feelings about something or someone were shifting in a way that could have serious repercussions. He could tell that he cared for Lucy in a way that was a little bit more… well, a lot more than what he was used to in general.**

 **He couldn't remember the last time he'd had any kind of bond with somebody who was his age, or really… anybody at all for that matter. His family had always been a bit on the closed off side, so it wasn't as though he spent a lot of time with them anyways. Even when his father** ** _was_** **home.**

 **"** **Damnit…" he cursed lightly before running his hand down his face.**

 **This was why he put so much effort into not putting any effort towards relationships of any kind, he hated feeling like he was not in control.**

 **There was just something so…** ** _special_** **about Lucy. Well, there were a lot of things about the spunky blonde he saw as 'special'. From the way she spoke, to the way that she laughed… it really seemed like everything she did was capable of making his heart speed up a couple beats faster than normal.**

 **At first, Laxus tried to tell himself that it was simply because he was attracted to her. Which certainly wasn't a lie, not even in the slightest.**

 **But now… the way his chest had tightened when he saw that beautiful smile directed at somebody who wasn't him… he knew that it had to be something more than just lust.**

 **Cursing again, Laxus pushed off of the wall that he'd been leaning against and shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked the remainder of the way to his empty house. He kicked every rock that had the misfortune of being in path, wishing he could cast aside the way he felt just as easily.**

 **He supposed that this was just a part of life that he needed to go through eventually.**

 **Though… he still couldn't help but wish that it had been him instead of that other guy. What was his name again? Natsu? The boy with** ** _pink_** **hair. What kind of man had pink hair anyway?**

 **Just thinking about all of it easily got Laxus' blood boiling again, so in an attempt to get his mind off of everything; he got to work on searching for the spare earbuds that he kept laying around in case of emergency.**

 **It actually took quite a bit of digging through his stuff before he found the black wires. He hadn't yet fully unpacked all of his things, he never really did. Laxus didn't really see the point since it was all going to get packed up again anyways.**

 **The earbuds were small and very different from his usual headphones, though he knew that they'd also be a little bit less obvious in the future.**

 **All of his former teachers had been too intimidated by the air that he gave off to ever actually do anything about his listening to music during class.**

 **What exactly was it about Magnolia? It seemed as though slowly… everything he had been accustomed to over years and years of moving around was being challenged. Almost right off the bat, with how Lucy had so warmly welcomed him.**

 **Thinking about Lucy made his heart ache in a not-so-pleasant way.**

 **So instead of mulling over that any longer, Laxus began the process of untangling the earbuds and wound up listening to music for the majority of the night before turning in relatively early. It had been a long and somewhat stressful day, he was a bit shocked to find just how drained he really felt because of all that had happened.**

 **The next morning came much faster than he would have liked. Laxus was definitely not ready to face the day, but of course he pushed himself up and out of bed anyway. He went through his usual morning routine before he hesitated at the refrigerated and looked towards the clock that hung on the wall.**

 **It was seven thirty. If he ate right then he would be able to make it to Lucy's house at the time that he did every morning, but was that what Laxus wanted? Was he really ready to face Lucy after what he had accidentally overheard the day prior? It really shouldn't matter that much, at this point… Laxus saw Lucy as somebody who he cared about. Whether or not she was seeing somebody else really should not have mattered all that much to him.**

 **But of course, it did.**

 **So Laxus decided that the best thing for him to do… would be to avoid her for a little while. At least until after the winter formal, or until he was able to regain control over his emotions. If he didn't have to see her smile or hear her laugh, there was a good chance that he could be back to his regular self in about a week's time.**

 **No matter how hard he told himself that this was the right decision, he couldn't help but feel guilt begin to eat at him as he passed her house. She wasn't on the porch like she usually was in the morning, which he'd expected and was the main reason he himself had left earlier in the first place.**

 **It wasn't until he was past her house that he began to feel the guilt dissipate… until he heard someone running towards him.**

 **"** **A-ha! I knew it!" Lucy's voice rang with agitation as she caught up with him and pulled him to a stop by grabbing onto the back of his jacket and giving it a sharp tug. When he turned, his breath caught in his throat as he took her in.**

 **She looked particularly beautiful that morning. He wasn't sure if it was because of the way her cheeks were flushed due to the frigid air around them, or because of the spark in her eye that told him she definitely had a bone to pick. Almost immediately Laxus could feel himself regretting the decision he'd made to leave her behind.**

 **"** **Knew what…?" He finally said when Lucy didn't continue after a few long moments of glaring at him. He wished that she wouldn't look at him like that.**

 **"** **I knew that you were avoiding me! I figured something was up when you went home without me, and this just confirms it! You were totally going to leave me at home, weren't you?!"**

 **Wincing a bit, Laxus looked away as he struggled to think of a decent way to reply. It was difficult to remain frustrated with her when she was so close, when she was looking at him with so much emotion painted across her face.**

 **Hurt, anger, frustration… he should have known that doing this would have been a big mistake.**

 **"** **What were you even doing out here so early? I don't usually come around until around seven forty-five." Laxus decided that he couldn't even directly answer her question, though he could feel as though that was the wrong decision as well.**

 **"** **I thought that I'd surprise you when you walked by today because I felt like something was off, so I was hiding when you passed. When you kept going I knew for sure that you were definitely avoiding me."**

 **"** **That's not true… I was going to school early to work on a project." Laxus lied. He was never a good liar, not like he's ever really had a reason to lie before, but he hoped it was convincing enough. He couldn't bring himself to tell Lucy the truth.**

 **Lucy let out a bitter laugh. "Don't give me that. We both know you're the last person who would go to school early to do actual school work. Now tell me, why are you avoiding me?"**

 **Although it was true, her comment stung him more than he'd like to admit. His frustrations came flooding back to him pushing him over the edge.**

 **"** **Why don't you hang out with your other friends? I'm sure Natsu won't be avoiding you." His words came out harsher than he meant but it was too late to take them back. He turned around and marched towards the school leaving a stunned Lucy in his wake.**

 **For the second time this morning Laxus felt guilty, except this time the guilt grew with each step he took. He realized how ridiculous all of this was after getting it off of his chest. He shouldn't take his frustrations out on Lucy, the girl who had been kind to him since day one. Did it hurt to know she was going to the dance with Natsu? ….Yes. That wasn't her fault though.**

 **The only person Laxus could blame was himself.**

 **"** **Hey!" Lucy yelled as she caught up to him and yanked him to a complete stop. "You have no idea what you're talking about." Her voice quivered as she spoke. Laxus looked down at her but she hid behind her blonde mane.**

 **"** **I don't have any friends, Laxus. Sure, everyone knows me because I grew up here but I am not close to anyone. It's been quite lonely… until you showed up."**

 **Watery eyes looked up to meet his gaze. Laxus felt like he had been punched in the stomach as he watched tears spill onto her cheeks. This wasn't what he wanted… not even close. Her raw emotion scared him but he didn't want to run away. He wanted take her pain away.**

 **"** **Lucy…" He reached down to wipe away her tears but she swatted his hand away.**

 **"** **I said no. I told Natsu that I didn't want to go to the dance with him. Because… because I was planning on going with someone else."**

 **"** **Oh…" Laxus couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice. There was someone else.**

 **"** **You big dummy! I was talking about you!" Lucy punched him in the arm. "I want to go to the dance with you, so... will you go with me?"**

 **Laxus wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly. Was she asking him to the dance… for real? A strange fluttering began in his stomach. Now was not the time to get sick, he thought to himself but then he realized what it was. He was experiencing butterflies for the first time in his life. Maybe he really was getting sick. (no, that's just looooooooove) Okay was all he could manage to say back.**

 **"** **Okay? Okay what?" Lucy asked, irritation ringing in her voice.**

 **"** **Okay I'll go to the dance with you!"**

 **Lucy wiped her tears away and smiled that dazzling smile of hers. The butterflies flapped their wings even harder in his stomach. There was no turning back now, Laxus realized.**

 **"** **Really?" She questioned him.**

 **** **"** **Yes, really."**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello! Sorry for the incredibly long wait for this chapter. I don't think I'll keep you all waiting that long for the next chapter. I'd like to give a big thanks to my co-writer and editor Zeiyuu for helping me with this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Things were surprisingly normal between the two of them. For some reason, Laxus had it in his head that they would have to worry about a sort of awkwardness. Lucy had asked him to a dance! How much more awkward could it get?

But things _weren't_ awkward. Lucy continued to smile and talk with him in the same way that she always had, it didn't appear as though she'd been affected too much by the whole ordeal. Or even at all, for that matter.

Even as they sat together during lunch, Lucy happily spoke of a lab that had gone horribly wrong during her last class. Apparently, her lab partner had accidentally added a bit too much of some kind of chemical that he couldn't pronounce and the whole south side of the school wound up smelling like a mix of rotten eggs and spoiled milk.

While the rest of her class had been completely disgusted and mortified, Lucy had found the whole situation to be quite humorous. That much was clear in the way that she could barely contain her giggles as she struggled to get the whole story out for Laxus.

"You should have seen the way everybody was diving for the door that leads outside, even the teacher was pushing kids aside to get out there." Lucy wiped away tears that had formed in response to her fit of laughter, she sighed. A perfect sound of contentment that made Laxus smile a bit.

"I can't say I'm a fan of rotten food smells." That and, Laxus enjoyed hearing Lucy talk so much, he wasn't sure he was willing to have experienced that story any other way. Her voice was just so soothing, he felt a little bit like a creep for enjoying it so much. But of course, he couldn't really help it.

The way she weaved herself into his life so intricately right under his nose went against everything that was drilled into him by his father. _Don't get attached._ Well… it's too late for that. Much too late. His father never warned him about blonde haired angels who come barreling into your life like a hurricane of sass and laughter. He wasn't quite sure what these feelings were, but he knew it was too late to turn back.

"Laxus?" Lucy's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh yeah." He attempted to play it off with a smile but the look on her face told him he wasn't successful.

"Anyways, are you ready for the test in Fiore History tomorrow? I've studied all week and I still don't feel confident in my knowledge." Lucy said with a sigh.

"Wait, you're in that class too?" There is no way that Laxus would have missed seeing her in that class. Lucy wouldn't let him live it down if he did.

"Well, yeah! I have it later in the day than you, silly. All juniors have to take it." Laxus felt his cheeks tinge in embarrassment. He should have known that.

"Oh, right. I haven't really studied at all but I guess I should…" He trailed off. Why would she be bringing this up in the first place? She never showed any interest in his studies before. Lucy sighed again, this time almost expectantly, and then it hit him.

"Would you… uh, like to study? Together I mean. We could study at my house. If you wanted of course." He cleared his throat nervously. Talk much?

Lucy's face lit up as she smiled, putting the sun to shame. She never failed to be the brightest person in the room.

"Okay! I'll come over after school and we can study together. Do you have any snacks? We'll definitely need snacks," Laxus shook his head no in reply, "okay that's fine. We can stop by my house on the way to grab some. Oh! That's the bell. I'll see you after school." With that, she skipped off through the cafeteria leaving Laxus smiling after her.

In class, Laxus had a hard time keeping his eyes off of the clock. Each second passed slower than the next. His excitement was definitely getting the best of him. He couldn't remember the last time he had invited a friend over to his house, let alone a girl. He'd never been in a place long enough to make any friends to invite over. Laxus was headed into unknown territory and Lucy was leading the way. For the first time in his life, he felt like a normal teenager. Whatever that meant, anyways.

Like most teenage boys, Laxus wasn't much of a believer in fate. There was no solid evidence that things happened for a reason with those reasons being beyond any person's control. But the more he thought about that first day at Magnolia high, the more he started to consider the possibility. Lucy couldn't have been the only office aid in the school but she just so happened to be that morning. What if he had gotten to school twenty minutes later that day? Surely he wouldn't currently be on the edge of his seat waiting for the last bell to ring because of a girl. He definitely wasn't complaining.

It felt like a small fire had started in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't noticed it before but he was sure sparks were flying that first morning. Each day it was like Lucy was adding kindling, piece by piece. It made him feel… _alive_. He'd spent most of his life not having much of a purpose. Eat. Sleep. Go to school. Don't anger father. Repeat. It was a life without color, a life without heat. The only thing he truly cared about was music. But now, he found himself listening to music less and talking to Lucy more. He found himself wondering about Lucy's day instead of how to get his hands on the limited edition Bowie vinyl. He even started wearing his headphones less whenever Lucy was around.

In the hallways at school, that was a different story. The end of the day had finally arrived and Laxus was eager to get to their usual meeting spot.

He wasn't surprised to find her waiting for him. The teacher had kept the class a few minutes late in order to finish his lecture. Laxus took a moment to admire the way that her golden hair fell over her shoulders, he was amazed that such unruly looking hair could appeal so much to him. It always seemed so soft and inviting.

It was then that she caught him. Her brown eyes lit up in that familiar way when her gaze landed on him and… was that a slight tinge of pink to her cheeks? No, it had to have been the early evening light playing tricks on him. She waved and he quickly lessened the gap between them.

"We shouldn't have to stop by my house for too long, I actually just went to the store yesterday for some and haven't even taken them out of the bags." She smiled at that, as though enjoying a secret before she spun on her heel and gestured for him to follow along. "Really, I've got a ton. You're going to have a whole selection to choose from. Chips, popcorn, chocolate, blueberries, strawberries… you name it, I probably got it."

Laxus couldn't help but chuckle at that, "Geez, you sound like a dealer."

Lucy laughed before playfully shoving him. The force behind her effort was pitiable, though the blond just chalked it up to their sheer size differences. Though… he couldn't help but think about how fragile she seemed. Even through her tough words and actions, it wouldn't take a whole lot for her to break.

That thought scared him.

"Who knows, maybe I _am_ a dealer." Lucy stuck her tongue out at him before she laughed again and started to run, leaving Laxus in her wake.

The young man pursued the girl and let her win the unspoken race. She cheered the entire walk from her front gate to the front door that she unlocked with a golden key that she pulled out of her school bag. She stole a quick glance back at him before she pushed open the door.

The room was dark but Laxus could still make out what looked to be a large living room as he followed Lucy inside. His assumptions were confirmed as she flipped on the lights. The living room was filled with beautiful dark wood furniture that looked like it had never been used. Beyond the living room was an even more grand kitchen. Based on the two rooms he's seen, the house was immaculate but it didn't feel right. It felt… sterile. He followed wide-eyed behind Lucy as she walked towards the kitchen.

"This place is… amazing." He commented while still taking in the sight. The kitchen was so large, at least three times the size of his bedroom and he thought his bedroom was a decent size.

"Oh, this old place? My mom would love to hear that. She's an interior decorator. She changes the decor at least once every couple of months. It's a good thing my dad's a doctor so he can afford it… even if that means he's gone often." Laxus tore his eyes off of the decor to look at Lucy. Her words had been tinged with sadness, a sadness he knew all too well.

It shocked him, knowing that she might be struggling with a similar problem that had plagued him for as long as he could remember. He studied her face. She was smiling, like she always was. Her face was an impenetrable wall, not betraying her emotions like her voice just had. Maybe behind that smile, she was just as alone as he was

"I gotta grab all of the snacks and then we can head to your house." She began to dig through the cupboards. "Oh, I forgot that we don't have any things to drink here. Do you have anything at your place?" She didn't bother turning around to hear his answer as she pulled random boxes and bags onto the counter.

Laxus tried to picture the contents of his fridge. "We have energy drinks… and some green tea stuff."

"Anything without caffeine? I'm… not supposed to have caffeine." She replied.

"Just water. Maybe some juice? I can't remember for sure. How come you can't have caffeine?" Lucy paused slightly at his question, contemplating her answer.

"Well-" Before she could finish her sentence the front door opened.

"Luuuuucy, I'm home! I got those drinks you asked for from the store. I hope I'm- oh!" Lucy's mom halted as she noticed Laxus standing in her kitchen. "Well, hello. Who is this tall, handsome young man?"

Laxus felt his face heat under her curious gaze. Lucy was the spitting image of her mother. The long blonde hair, coffee brown eyes, the whole nine yards. If he didn't already know any better, he would have thought they were sisters.

"Mom, this is Laxus." She left her spot at the cupboard to envelope her mom in a tight hug. Laxus ignored the dull pang in his chest as he watched the embrace and gave them a nervous smile.

"You didn't tell me you had such a handsome boyfriend, Lucy!" Her mother exclaimed when they released each other from the hug.

"Mom!" Lucy screeched, her face turning a bright shade of scarlet. "Don't embarrass me in front of my friend!"

Her mom gave Laxus a knowing wink. "Okay, okay. I'll leave the two of you alone. Be safe!" She dropped the groceries on the counter and rushed out of the kitchen before Lucy could complain.

Just like her daughter, Lucy's mom came in and out of the room like a tornado, leaving Laxus wondering what the hell had just happened.

"Let's get out of here before she comes back." She handed him a bag full of snacks and grabbed the drinks before pushing him out of the house as fast as she could.

The walk to Laxus' house was relaxed. Neither of them spoke much, they were both stuck in their heads. Laxus kept replaying Lucy's mother's words in his head. She had called him Lucy's boyfriend. And lucy _didn't_ deny it directly, although she did call him her friend right afterward. The thought of being Lucy's boyfriend warmed him… and scared him.

There was no guarantee that he'd still be in Magnolia in the next month but he couldn't deny the magnetic pull he felt towards Lucy. He could see them being close for a long time, even after he moved on to a new city. One thing he knew for certain was that he'd never find another Lucy in any other city out there.

The moment his thought process switched from 'don't get attached' to 'enjoy it while it lasts' could be pinpointed to that walk to his house. If he couldn't control how much time he had left in Magnolia, he could at least control how he spent his time there. He wanted to spend it by Lucy's side.

It was starting to get dark by the time they arrived at Laxus' house, the winter sun making its leave for the moon earlier every day. Seeing the even darker house, Laxus made a mental note to leave the porch light on when he left for school in the mornings. He fumbled the keys in his hands, dropping them once. The sudden wave of nervousness hadn't hit him until the two of them were standing on his doorstep, but it hit him hard nonetheless. He was bringing a friend, let alone a _girl,_ to his house for the first time. There would be no one home to chaperone. Just him and Lucy. Alone.

"You okay?" Lucy's question managed to pierce through the silence and shock Laxus out of his sudden, yet near suffocating anxiety over having her over. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit before sending her a reassuring smile and nod.

"Yeah, I guess I'm still getting used to the new set of keys." Which wasn't entirely false, he wasn't sure he would ever get used to one set of keys.

With only a bit more fidgeting with his keys and then the door knob, he was soon letting themselves in. The first thing he did was smack the light switch that was on his left.

"The place is a bit of a mess," he admitted sheepishly as the room lit up. There were still several boxes scattered around, he simply hadn't felt motivated enough to unpack. He never really did. Laxus' father certainly never had the time to do so himself.

"I don't mind!" Lucy sang happily as she removed her shoes and carefully set them next to where Laxus had placed his own. "Maybe one of these days I can help you unpack, it might help liven the place up a bit! I definitely wouldn't mind. I have always enjoyed moving things around, I guess my mother rubbed off on me in that aspect." She giggled softly before she turned her gaze to him, "Where will we be studying?"

His nerves began acting up again at this question and he realized that he probably should have thought about this a little bit more before agreeing to study at his place.

"I… actually don't have a desk or anything set up. The carpet in my room is pretty soft, but I'd understand if you'd rather not work on the floor." The 'kitchen table' was really just a bar counter and he'd only saw the need to have one bar stool for it.

His life really was not shaped to fit another person in it.

"That's fine by me! I don't mind at all, lead the way." She smiled and Laxus attempted to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. What was _wrong_ with him?

His bedroom was equally as bad as the living room had been. Boxes remained stacked up against the wall, only a few were open.

"Alright, show me the notes you've taken! We can compare and then talk a little bit about what we're struggling with and figure out from there what we should do about it." Lucy said, immediately kneeling down in the middle of the room as she swung her bag from off of her back and set it on the floor in front of her.

Laxus watched her with a chuckle before he did the same.

Usually, homework or studying were things that Laxus preferred to put off as long as possible. Often times this would result in a zero or two, although this was typically fine because of how skilled he was when it came to actually taking tests.

He'd be screwed if he were a bad test taker.

Though this… this wasn't so bad. He probably wouldn't even mind doing his homework if he could do it by her side every day. He wasn't sure what made it so much better, perhaps the occasional brush of their shoulders as they worked.

She smelled nice.

Her overall presence would be enough to make even counting grains of sand enjoyable.

One hour passed and quickly turned into two, before he knew it… the clock struck eight.

"Geez… where did the time go?" Lucy laughed after having glanced at her phone to check the time, "I should really head home. My mom will throw a fit if I'm not home by the time she gets ready for bed."

Laxus stood as the blonde did and he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I'll walk you home." Even though they'd see each other at school the next day, he didn't want their time to end quite yet. He was enjoying her company outside of school too much.

"Okay!" Lucy replied as she gathered her notebooks back into her backpack.

She followed Laxus out of the house and into the chilly winter night. It had gotten considerably colder compared to the unusually warm winter day they had earlier and Lucy only had a light jacket to protect her from the bitter cold. Despite her attempts to hide it, Laxus could tell she was shivering. He'd never understand why girls never had warm enough jackets in the winter. It's like they wanted to be cold or something. Or maybe…

"Are you cold?" Laxus asked the shivering blonde.

"N-no. I'm okay. My house is only a few blocks away anyways." She replied, her breath creating white puffs of air in front of them.

"I can hear your teeth chattering from here. Why don't you take my jacket?" He began to shrug off his long, fur-lined jacket.

"No! I don't want to take your jacket. Then you'll be cold!" She said, waving her hands in protest.

Laxus put the coat around her shoulders, "It's only a few blocks anyways," he teased, using her own words against her.

Lucy huffed in defeat but pulled the jacket tighter around herself, reveling in its warmth.

The rest of their walk was quiet. There was something about this silence that was different from their usual. Laxus couldn't shake his hyper-awareness of Lucy walking next to him, wrapped in his jacket. Each time their shoulders would bump against each other, he'd lose track of what he was planning on saying to break the silence. She was walking closer than usual, Laxus thought. Soon Lucy's house was in view and they hadn't spoken a word since he lent her his jacket. Their night together was coming to its conclusion and he couldn't let it end in silence.

However, just as he was opening his mouth… something unexpected happened. All of a sudden, mid-step, there was a softness thrown against him that completely took him by surprise.

The hug lasted only about three seconds, but he could have sworn it had stretched for an eternity as his brain struggled to comprehend what was happening. Before he could even return the hug, she was retreating. His jacket was thrown at him as she bid him goodnight and booked it the rest of the way home, her face hidden from his view.

Leaving a very shocked Laxus Dreyar in her wake.


End file.
